At school, before the use of ballpoint pens, calculators and computers, children in primary class used slates and slate-pencils, upon graduating to the "Big School" they used pen and ink and excerise books. To teach handwriting a Copybook was used, it had printed examples of the formation and slope of letters for learners to imitate. Multiplication Tables were fed into one's memory in a sing-song manner, the class in unison would chant their way through the tables. ( No Computers.) Discipline was strict, the teachers had authority to use a strap to punish boys. Girls were punished by being detained after school hours to perform set tasks. Teachers had to be treated with respect, male teachers addressed as Sir, female teachers as Miss. They had nicknames of course, being referred to as "Old Goat" "Ginger" etc.
The Monday morning ritual of saluting the flag. The pupils assembled facing the flagpole, standing to attention, saluting as the flag was slowly raised and then placing the right hand over the region of their heart, recite, " I love God and my country, I will serve the King, I will honour the Flag and cheerfully obey my parents, teachers and laws of the land". On school days after assembly in the school ground pupils marched to their classrooms, they marched to the rythm of a drum played by a boy. Photo below is of the Hamilton State School, which was the first school attended by Vincent.
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